


Bit of a Change-up

by hucklberi



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28807098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hucklberi/pseuds/hucklberi
Summary: Patrick Brewer has made plans for as long as he can remember; whether mentally, on paper, or on a spreadsheet or graph of some sort. When he turned 30, he made a plan for the next five years. The only goal left unchecked? Get engaged (and stay engaged).
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Theodore "Ted" Mullens/Alexis Rose
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Bit of a Change-up

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 = S3E8 BEFORE PATRICK AND DAVID MEET
> 
> Hia! I haven't written fanfic in four years, but my need for more Patrick and David has called upon me to return. 
> 
> This story is a canon-compliant retelling of the show (beginning with S3E8) through Patrick's perspective. Because of this, much of the dialogue comes from the show's script. I'll be doing my best to get the details right, but we all make mistakes.
> 
> Chapters will not necessarily align with episodes, so I'll put a note of where each chapter is placed.
> 
> I will not be editing these chapters so don't expect much.

Moving to Schitt's Creek wasn't part of Patrick Brewer's five year plan. The name had been funny enough, but his decision really sunk in when he drove past the town's welcome sign— he couldn't tell if it was meant to be a joke of not. Regardless, it was too late to turn back. As he passed the sign, he couldn't help but think of Rachel, his fiancé. She would have laughed at the sign, the town, then softened and made some comment about how "the people must be really nice."

Ex-fiancé, Patrick reminded himself. Even after he broke things off, even after he spent days moving through life blankly, even after nights of staring up at the ceiling and wondering why he wasn't more upset, it hadn't completely sunk in. He and Rachel had been together since high school, and although their relationship wasn't always steady, it was safe. Comfort made up for the lack of passion, and if he closed his eyes and let the world drift away, he could convince himself that he was in love.

Patrick was startled out of his thoughts when his car ran over a bump in the road; he hadn't noticed the change in speed limit as he neared the center of the small town. Easing his foot onto the brake, he took a moment to size up the area. He drove past an old café and a motel before pulling off onto the side of the street to check his phone. He was staying with the man who was employing him, a person named Ray, and as he scrolled up through their text messages to find the address, he couldn't help but wonder how badly things could go. He had no connections in this town, not much money, and his only resource for income and a place of living was an overly eager man who seemed to have a million different businesses. Finally reaching the top of their messages, he grabbed a map and found the address on it. It was nearby, and after taking a moment to map out the turns he would need to take, he steered back onto the empty road.

—-—

Floral. Everywhere. The wallpaper, the bedspread, even the paintings hung in random places on the walls. As cheery as Ray had been over the phone, Patrick could never have expected this. It was a room, though, and it would do. He wasn't hoping to spend much time there anyway; drowning himself in work and spending his free time outdoors would create a sense of normalcy in his life that had been lost the second he left Rachel. He closed the door gingerly behind him, leaving his suitcase next to the dresser and falling onto the bed. Ray had offered to show him around town before he started work the next day, be he claimed to be tired from his travels and excused himself as soon as he could. As optimistic as Patrick tried to be, the constant joy and positivity that Ray exuded was getting on his nerves.

Instead of unpacking, or resting like he said he would, he grabbed a notebook from his backpack and opened it, flipping through the pages. Writing lists had always helped Patrick sort through his thoughts. When he was ten, a teacher asked him where he wanted to be in five years. After blanking on an answer, he went home and scribbled out the words "Five Year Plan". Then, in bullet-points, he wrote steps he would take to reach whatever goal he was fixated on at the time. As the years passed, he made new lists, each one growing more detailed and complex than the last. Check marks drawn in smooth black ink sat beside each bullet-point, and never before had he left a goal uncompleted. Patrick flipped to the most recently written list; the plan he had made when he turned thirty. There was a check beside the goal "Get engaged". For once, he regretted his nearly obsessive preference for pens over pencils, wishing that he could simply erase the checkmark, erase the goal completely. Instead, he scratched a line through it. The words were still visible, burning into his eyes. When he looked away, he could see them dancing on the flowery walls, taunting him for what he had done. He swallowed around the lump that had formed in his throat, uncomfortably aware of how heavy his chest felt, and once again took pen to paper until the words were completely covered in fresh black ink. Tossing the notebook to the side, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling until the world melted away and he became unaware of the scratchy comforter below him.

—-—

Falling asleep at 10:00 pm didn't bode well for Patrick: his body was seemingly programmed to wake up after getting exactly seven hours of sleep, which meant his eyes snapped open at 5:00 the next morning. His body ached and he laid silently for a few minutes before dragging himself up and out of bed. He unpacked his suitcase and bag as quietly as possible, taking his time. Normally, he would shower, make some tea, and go for a walk, but he didn't know what his new housemate's routine was and didn't want to wake him up. After rearranging his few possessions several times, however, he gave up and went about his morning.

Luckily, Ray appeared to be a deep sleeper. He didn't emerge from his room until 8:00, and grinned immediately at the sight of Patrick sitting in the dining room, eating breakfast. "Making yourself comfortable, I see? Good, good! Please treat this as your home just as I do."

Patrick thanked him, in a much better mood than he had been last time they spoke, and stood from his seat at the table. "I was going to head out, actually. Thought I'd explore the town a bit before getting to work," he suggested, carrying his mug and plate to the sink. "Unless you need me for something right now?"

"Oh no, no, go and look around! It's your first full day here, you must enjoy it! When you get back I will show you the office before I go to Town Hall." Ray beamed at Patrick, far more excited than what seemed appropriate.

Nodding, Patrick walked to the front door. "Sounds good. I'll see you in a bit, then." With a final goodbye, he stepped into the morning sunshine and closed the door behind him, breathing in the brisk air. As he began to walk, he reminded himself once more that even if this wasn't for the best, it was all he had. As little as he liked change, the thought of starting new was refreshing. Plans can be changed, after all.


End file.
